Black's Anatomy
by nikolasarcevic
Summary: Have you ever wondered what really happens at Saint Mungos? You can stop wondering now, because here is you answer, like it or not! Our keys to the magic are Claire Black and her roommate Earl Smith. Join us when these two interns face a new reality
1. Part One

Part One – How to make a first impression

_So this is__ where life has brought me. I'm standing in front of the only shopping window I've ever longed for.  
Standing in front of the rest of my life and I'm scared. Terrified. _

"Do you remember the first day of Healer-school?"  
"Come on, Claire," Earl said and grabbed her arm. He was short, almost shorter than her, his eyes were bright blue and he had curly dark hair.  
"Cause I remember. I tripped in the middle of the cafeteria, from that moment on everybody remembered me as the girl who tripped…"  
"At least they remember you. I'll forever be that guy who hanged out in the back of the class and never spoke to anyone." There was a trace of resentment in Earl's voice.  
"You talked to me," said Claire. "With the girl who tripped!"  
"What ever, we don't want to be late!" But Earl smiled as he tightened his grip around her arm.  
Claire hesitated, but did not struggle when Earl made her step through the window glass and then they were gone.  
Nobody seemed to have noticed this strange event, even though the street was filled with people rushing to get to work. Perhaps they were to busy to notice.

On the other side of the glass, Claire found herself facing a crowded waiting room. She made sure to stay close to Earl as they made their way through the lines of benches, past a man that sneezed flowers through his nostrils, an old woman whose right hand appeared to have been transformed into a pumpkin.  
"That should teach you not to eat my food, nana," muttered a grumpy looking woman who was sitting next to her.  
Earl opened a door to a corridor and waited for Claire to enter first. Their fellow heeler-interns was already standing in the hallway, speaking polite with each other while they waited._  
_ _Look at these people, they seems to be so secure. Like they've all done this before… I sure haven't. Can't wait 'till I screw this up._  
"One minute left!" said Earl and squeezed her shoulder._  
_ _Earl's brilliant. He'll survive. Plus he's got that good hair, why can't I have as good hair as he's got?_  
Clair pulled in her ponytail, thinking she might have to cut it off. Then a drum whirl started somewhere. Everybody fell silent as the door on the other end opened and in entered a tiny man – and probably the oldest man alive.  
"Man, is he old or what?" a blond-haired and pale looking young man whispered. "Who do you think he is?"  
"I am Healer Koxey," the very old man answered. There was some nervous laughter and the blond man looked a little embarrassed. "I will be in charge of you lot, during your years of internship here at Saint Mungos. Remember, I do not care about where you come from, about your feelings or who your girlfriend is, so feel free to never share anything personal with me at any time!"  
Some of the interns exchanged confused looks."Leave you sorrows at home, because you will come to learn that here at Saint Mungos we want nothing but your fullest attention and devotion. You can forget the things you have seen on muggle-tv. It is all fake and not real, do you follow me? No, I really mean follow me." He walked to a door on his right and opened it. "Plus, muggles are known to glorify the misery and hard work that is the everyday-life for a healer!" He glanced over his shoulders on the group of guilty looking interns.  
"From now on, you will think of this building and what we do here as your only truth, as your only true home…"  
"Yada yada, Saint Mungos rules, we get it," sighed a red-haired woman behind Claire. "What a waste of time!"  
"No, this speech is not a waste of time," whispered Claire. "He's in charge…"  
"Oh, you're one of them, are you, authority loving… I bet you bought your teacher a present at Christmas too." She looked at Claire and frowned.

"Can you believe her?" Claire asked Earl when they sat down in the semi-lighted cafeteria. "Who does she think she is?"  
"Meredith-something," said Earl and took a sip of juice. "But you shouldn't let her get to you; I bet she's just looking for someone to mess with."  
"Oh, I could take her. She'll never see it coming"  
Earl grinned. "Yeah, like you're going to-"  
"SMASH!" Claire slammed her fist in the wooden table and made the porcelain clink. "I would not even need my wand!"  
"Oh, that's really cool…"  
"I know" Claire yawned nonchalant.  
"Hi… Can I have a seat?" The blond intern who had called Healer Koxey old was standing next to their table. Claire nodded as Earl pulled out the chair next to him. "You're Claire Black, right? I'm Draco Malfoy. I believe your father knows mine?"  
"Does he? Well, I'm not that close to my father actually… We haven't spoken for years, not since I went to Hogwarts." She felt uncomfortable talking about her father, so she took a bite of her meatloaf so she would not have to say anything more.  
"Where did you go to healer-school? You weren't in our class," said Earl to change the subject.  
Draco watched Claire for a second but then said, "No, I went abroad. I studied at this school in Germany…" They talked about different schools for a while until Earl wanted to go out to get some fresh air.  
"No wonder people are sick in this place. It wouldn't hurt to get an air conditioner in here, like the muggles have. And Claire, just avoid Meredith, if you don't want to make a fool of yourself the first day."  
"Yeah, I will."

After lunch, they continued the tour around the hospital, and got information about the various floors ("Potions and herbals gone wrong, third floor. Phyllis Bradley is in charge").  
Claire tried to stay away from Meredith the redhead, but that proved to be easier said than done. Meredith seemed to have made it her goal to make the day as miserable as possible for Claire.  
"Who did you sleep with? To get the grades you needed for this, I mean," she asked as they walked by the nurses station on the fourth floor.  
"Ha ha, good one! Did you bribe your way here? Cause I take it they wouldn't sleep with you…"  
"Watch your mouth, you rat!"  
"Excuse-," Claire suddenly collided in the person walking in front of her, Healer Koxey seemed to have stopped.  
"You there, with the chestnut hair, ponytail or whatever; Why do you find my speech so boring that you feel that you have to interrupt it?" He pointed a crooked finger at Claire who started to feel uncomfortable. "Why did you interrupt me?"  
"Er- I'm so sorry, sir"  
"I bet you are! There is always someone like you; someone who thinks she is better than the rest. Above all common standards," he said, still pointing his finger at her. "Just remember, I'll be watching you. Yes, I'm on to you..."  
Claire did not know what to say, so she just stood there, looking startled.  
"Wow, I did not se that one coming!" Meredith grinned at Claire as she passed by.

_So I'm not the girl who tripped anymore. From this day forward I'll always be the girl who knocked someone over and interrupted Koxey's speech. I'll be the girl he's keeping an eye on…_


	2. Part Two

Part Two – How to wake the Crazy Dragon-girl

_Have you ever wondered if somebody would notice if you disappeared? If anything would change if you didn't show up for work one day, if anyone would miss you… _

Claire had lived in a quite large apartment in London for a few years and she had never shared it with someone else until just recently. Therefore, it was not so surprising that it took some adjustments when Earl moved in. First, she had to get rid of all the books and drawings she had stored in the room under the loft so that Earl could fit in all his stuff, which took about two days to complete. Then there was the issue of having someone else around – always.  
"How come it takes so much time for you to get ready?"  
"We've been over this before," Claire answered from inside the bathroom. "Remember that episode of _Friends _we watched the other night? This will always be an issue, but I will never change. And neither will you."  
"TV can't save us forever, you do realise that?"  
"If Monica and Ross could do it, so can we!"  
"They're fictional! And lives doesn't depend on whether they're on time to work or not."  
"Yeah… People don't _die _just because you're late either. They don't depend on us. I bet more people die _because _we're there."  
"Real helpful, now I'm feeling so much better about the blood transfusion I have to perform today!" said Earl dejected. "What if I kill that poor witch?"  
Claire patted him on his shoulder as she left the bathroom with a towel around her head. Earl locked himself up in the bathroom, muttering under his breath. Claire turned on the coffee machine and opened the fridge only to find an empty milk-bottle and some grapes. She washed down the grapes with the coffee and tried to read yesterdays The Daily Prophet.  
"Can't you _please _run out and get some more milk?" asked Claire with her politest voice as Earl stepped out from the bathroom. "Pretty please?"  
"Why don't you do it yourself?"  
"Because it wasn't I who drank it all when I was in the shower," she said and pierced her eyes in his. "Oh, that's right it was YOU!"  
"It's not my fault you spend too much time in the shower. And besides, there was barely anything left in the bottle, you used all of it for your three batches of screwed up pancakes."  
"Yeah… Those were _good_," said Claire and smiled. "You've got to do it anyway!"  
"Fine, but I'm taking your bike!"  
"Do you even know how to ride a bike?"

Earl did not show up in the changing room and when he did not show up for rounds Claire started to get worried. Thankfully, she got distracted once they had started rounds and Healer Koxey started speaking. She found herself staring at his eyes and his mouth, and it made her not hear a word he was saying.  
"What is the antidote invented by Augustus Prude, also known as the Prude-potion, based on?"  
Eight eager hands shot up in the air, but Claire could not take her eyes from his old lips and grey moustache.  
"Yes, you there, blond boy," said Healer Koxey to Draco who seemed satisfied when all the other interns lowered their hands while they glared at him.  
"Wormwood-extract, sir," Draco answered and Koxey nodded.  
"Can somebody name the most common side-effect to any antidote that is based on Wormwood-extract?"

_Oh my, I can't hear what he's saying. I better get closer so I don't miss anything… What is that smell… Carrot? It smells delicious._

In an attempt to concentrate better she looked everywhere else but at him but that did not help either so then she tried to take notes.  
"And that is why you will _not _be interacting with any patients yet. You will only observe as the authorised healers cure patients, you will watch and learn. Any questions?"

_What was he talking about? A Worm? __He's finished talking now, I better put on my concentrated face._

"Malfoy and Black, you'll be with Healer Daisy today," said Koxey. "Up on the fourth floor, the Coma-ward…" He went on with the others assignments.  
"Cool, wonder what we are going to do?"  
"Nothing, didn't you listen?"  
"I- I was taking notes…" Claire waved with her notepad.  
"What is that? Hearts?" Draco pointed at her notes and Claire stopped to take a closer look. There indeed were tiny hearts in different shapes on her paper.  
"Err-" Claire quickly closed the notepad before he would notice the letters.

It was not until it was time for the first tea break that Earl showed up.  
"You cannot believe what happened to me!"  
"What? Did you get the milk?"  
"_No_, I hit a very good looking woman with the bike!"  
"With _my_ bike? Tell me you didn't wreck it?"  
"I did not wreck your bike Claire, and I didn't really hit her," he said and pored some tea in a blue cup. "I missed," he added a bit sad.  
"Missed what?" asked Draco and sat down next to him.  
"A chick, he missed a good looking chick with his bike."  
"Oh… I see why you're depressed."  
"But he missed, isn't that a good thing?" Claire asked confused. "If he _had_ hit her, wouldn't that be a bad thing?"  
"No, because then he would at least be on her radar," Draco explained. "He _could _have been the guy who lay in her arms for a while… Now she's just thinking of him as the asshole who almost hit her with his bike. It's as certain as Dobby's socks."  
"Dobby?"  
"Our old house elf"

Thirty minutes later Claire and Draco went up the rickety stairs to the fourth floor, where Healer Daisy greeted them with a big shiny smile. She was a chubby witch with golden curls for hair and she had decorated her lime green robe with pink flowers (which made a terrible combination).  
"Hello, my friends! I am, as you probably already know, Healer Anna-Belle Daisy. I will be your 'supervisor' today," she added a little wink at them, a bit too late. "I always love a new group of interns; it is always good with new blood, don't you think?"  
Claire did not know what to say so she followed Draco's example and laughed a little. Healer Daisy however did not seem to mind their silence. She went on explaining what they were going to do today.  
"Today is a big day, actually," she explained. "There has just been some mind-blowing progress in the research for antidotes to a special kind of coma; they have finally found what appears to be the missing ingredient – pollen from the hibiscus."  
"But that isn't so rare, is it, miss?" asked Claire.  
"You would think! But it took some time to discover that the pollen only reviles the special quality that is needed for this kind of potion, when you gather it at a certain time during the year; at midnight on the third Sunday in July, to be exact."  
She showed them into a room marked _The Comatose Ward_. It was a big rectangular space, with too huge windows that made the room and the eight beds in there swim in light. Healer Daisy waved with her wand and made thin curtains pull out from nowhere and cover the windows. They followed her to the bed at the far end.  
Claire felt a little uneasy with the hissing noises from the sleeping patients she passed, she was afraid to disturb them, even though she new that was impossible.  
"This is Miss Delilah Pope; she has been a patient of ours for almost ten years now, during which she has been in a coma."  
The girl in the bed was probably just a few years younger than Claire was, but she looked nothing like a normal girl. Where there would normally be skin, her body was covered in silver scales and her nails were thicker than usual nails. Steam rose from her nose when she breathed, as if she was filled with hot water instead of blood.  
"Today is the day when we will wake her up," Healer Daisy said. "And she will be able to tell us who or what put her in this state."  
"So you don't know?" asked Draco.  
"No, I am afraid we don't. There has never been a case like this one in this hospital, ever before. The antidote we are using is generally called the Toosid, which is the Somalia word for awakening. In it, we have found a way to combine the strengthening effect from the eucalyptus leafs and the energy from the hibiscus-pollen with the Prude-potion. Mr. Malfoy, could you tell me why that combination has been a risky one up until now?"  
"The Eucalyptus is known to increase the most unwanted side-effect from the Prude-potion, which is insanity."

_That's what they were talking about during rounds! Close one…_

"Correct. The pollen from the hibiscus helps to balance that effect. Why, Miss Black, cant we use only the eucalyptus leafs?"  
"Because that would most cause the patient to suffer from a case of insomnia."  
Healer Daisy walked up to Delilah's head and pulled out a crystal bottle from her robes. The bottle contained a lime green liquid.  
"It will take a couple of hours before the coma wears off, so you to will be keeping a close eye on her until then. Keep me posted."  
After pouring the liquid in the girl's mouth, Daisy left the room, leaving Claire and Draco alone with the sleeping patients.  
"So… Here we are!" Draco said and put his hands together.  
"Yes, here we are…" said Claire. "What do you think will happen when she wakes up?"  
"She's probably a nutcase. From the antidote, I mean," he added when Claire gave him a quick look. "You know… The wormwood causes that?"  
"Oh, yeah, definitely. Hope we'll get to see it." Claire sat down on the chair next to the bed, watching the steam that rose from the girls nostrils.  
"Wonder where her family is?" Draco said and took a seat on the deep windowsill. "If this was my sister or daughter… I would want to be here when she wakes up!"  
"Maybe she doesn't have a family…"  
"Everybody has got a family."  
"I haven't got a family," said Claire. Draco closed his mouth and looked a little uncomfortable.  
"Well, what about her friends then?"  
"She's a dragon-girl…"  
"And people like her hasn't got friends?"  
"I'm just saying. She's a dragon girl, maybe there isn't a lot of time to make friends when you're like that. Maybe there aren't a lot of dragon-persons either!"  
Draco watched her silently as she examine the sheets.  
"I really like these sheets," said Claire. "They're both comfortable and cute! Where do you think they got these?"  
"I don't know. Where do you buy sheets?"  
"Haven't you ever bought something like that?"  
"Not really… My mother does all the shopping and when I was abroad my girlfriend took care of that stuff…"  
"Oh, a girlfriend," said Claire interested. "Tell me about her!"  
"We're not together anymore actually."  
"Too bad, but that happens… Did she nag on you much? Cause that's why I broke up with my boyfriend. He nagged a lot…"  
"No, she was really nice. It was… complicated. She didn't want to move to England with me. But I made my mother happy when I came back, so I guess it was for the better. She goes on and on about how proud she is of me, but my father doesn't want me to be a Healer. He doesn't think I'll do any good. But your family has got your back, right?"  
"Well, I haven't spoken to them lately, you know. I don't call them my family now."  
"But your father-"  
"I'm afraid I'm a bit of a disappointment for my father…"  
The hours passed as they waited for the antidote to start working. At lunchtime, dark clouds had replaced the blue sky and rain had started pouring down, but there was still no sign of change, and if it was not for the moving chest and the steam-breath, Claire had not believed the girl was alive. She found herself talking nonstop about the changes she wanted to make in her apartment, mostly because she didn't want Draco to bring up her father again.  
"You know, I'm aware of how much I talk, and I'm not nervous or anything, I just talk a lot."  
"And fast!" Earl had just entered; he had with him three cups with pumpkin juice, which he handed to them before he sat down on the end of the bed. "Oh, nice sheets! Comfy!"  
"I _know!_" Claire said enthusiastic.  
"But… Why would they bother to get such fine-looking sheets for the coma-patients? It's not like they're awake to see them!"

The rain was still coming down when things finally started to change. Draco was sitting on the chair next to Delilah's bed, staring in the air in front of him and Claire had just got back from the cafeteria with food (chicken wings and potatoes) for them both.  
"Was I gone a long time?" she asked and handed him the food.  
"No, don't worry," Draco said and looked down on the girl in the bed. "I was just going to summon you, she's about to wake up."  
"You're a nice guy, aren't you?" Claire asked and took a bite of the chicken wing. "I mean, despite of what I've heard about you. You are a decent person, despite what people are saying… I still hope people can change. I hope you've changed."  
Draco looked at her, and for a second she thought he was going to yell at her but then he smiled.  
"I was young and I didn't know better. I wish I had known better…"  
"Look, her eye's are open!" Claire pointed at Delilah who had just opened her eyelids and reviled two cold blue eyes that had not seen or been seen for almost ten years. "Quick, summon Healer Daisy!"  
Draco took up the amulet that they had been given their first day, put it to his mouth and called "Healer Daisy". The room was for a second filled by a deep clang, and one minute later Healer Daisy rushed through the doors.  
"How is she?" she asked them when she reached the bed. She put a hand to Delilah's chest.  
"She has been progressing steady all day, and she has not shown any signs of anxiety yet," Draco informed her. "So far your plan is working…"  
"Well, be prepared for the worse, and remember, this girl has not seen anything or anyone for ten years. This will probably come as a chock for her…"  
Suddenly the blue eyes got clearer, as if a film was pulled pack over them. She blinked and then panic spread over her face. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to scream, but no sound came out of it; during the twenty years of sleep, her voice had abandoned her.  
"Has she forgotten how to speak?" Claire asked Draco quietly.  
"Let hope not…"  
"Delilah?" Healer Daisy was trying to get eye contact with the girl. "Can you hear me? My name is Anna-Belle… I am going to give you this potion; it's going to help you get your voice back." She pulled another crystal bottle from the air; this one was filled with a blue liquid, which she helped Delilah drink.  
"Now, can you tell me how you ended up here? Do you remember anything?"  
Delilah swallowed and then started to speak.  
"I- I cannot…" and when she spoke the panic in her face changed to fear. "What am I doing here?"  
"You are in a hospital… A magical hospital," said Healer Daisy. "The muggle-ID you had on you when they brought you in said your name is Delilah Pope. Your body showed, and still does, clear signs of magic, which is why you are here… But we are not sure if you are a witch or not, but we haven't been able to find your family. Not in the muggle-world or in the wizard-world. I'm sorry…"  
"Witch? Let me out! I don't want to be here!" She made an attempt to escape out of the bed, but Healer Daisy forced her back with her wand. Delilah started screaming loud, and Healer Daisy turned to Claire and Draco.  
"You two, go get the psyche-team now. And it will be too crowded in here so you can go home when you've informed Healer Koxey about Delilah's state. Clearly she's not a witch…"  
Claire followed Draco out in the corridor where she turned around to look at Delilah's shivering body. "Can you believe it? She's got no family… She's all alone. And in a world she don't belong in!"  
She could not stop herself from crying but tried to hide it from Draco. An image of a woman walking away from her appeared on the back of her eyelids.  
"Hey, for what it's worth," Draco put a hand on her shoulder. "You do have a family, even if it's not birth family… Come one, let's find Earl."  
They walked in slience to the cafeteria where they found Earl sitting and reading today's Daily Prophet.  
"Hey, do you want to come with me and buy some milk?" Claire asked when Earl looked up from the paper.  
"Sure, I've red this thing about three times now!"

Earl walked two feet in front of Claire at the local Tesco, humming to himself while he watched the products on the shelves. Earl had only been in a grocery store one time before and he found it fascinating how the muggles had come up with such crazy ideas as popcorn you heated in a microwave oven (Claire had explained how a microwave oven worked when they had seen one on TV last night). And he could just not see the point in a "nose trimmer".  
"Claire!" he shouted. "Come here, quick!" He was hiding behind a pyramid of tins.  
"What is it now; vacuumed-packed food?"  
"Do you see that girl over there?" He pointed at a blond girl who was picking out detergent in the next aisle.  
"I know her!" said Claire.  
"Really?"  
"No, not really, but she lives in our building!"  
"Well, she's the girl I almost hit with my bicycle."  
"Whose bike?"  
"_Your _bike. Do you recon she's mad at me?"  
"That depends, how hard did you really hit her?"  
"I already told you I missed! I fell down on some trash cans…"  
"Classy…"  
"Quick, she's coming this way! How do I look?"  
"You look fine, I picked out your clothes right?"  
The girl had just spotted them and started walking towards them.  
"It's you, right, from this morning?"  
Earl gave a nervous laughter but did not answer.  
"Yes, it is!" Claire said and shoved her elbow in his side. "Hi, I'm Claire. I live in your building, well _we _live in your building…" She pointed at Earl.  
"Oh, that's right. I'm Marie," the girl said and shook Claire's hand. "Are you all right? You didn't hurt yourself?" she added to Earl.  
"No, I'm fine! See? No garbage here!" He made a little turn on the spot.  
"Yeah… Okay," said Marie and looked as if she wanted to run away. "Well, I guess I'll see you around then! Bye." And she practically Disapparted,_ or she would have done it if she had been a witch, _thought Claire and patted Earl's back.  
He seemed to have blackout and just stood there silent for two minutes, then he said "Do they really have vacuum-packed food?"


End file.
